Hillsborough, Somerset County, and Central New Jersey - News from Yesterday, Today

09 May 2015

Well House and Hay Barn, Then and Now

It's a pretty long walk just from the Visitor's Center at Duke Farms to the Hay Barn - over half a mile, I think. A century ago you could stop and have a drink at the rustic Well House, just off the path on the right.

Well House and Hay Barn postcard circa 1909

Today you can still see the capped well and the ruins of the Hay Barn just beyond.

Remains of the Well House and Hay Barn at Duke Farms, March 2015

This area of Duke's Park had another important feature - a beautiful bronze reproduction of Giambologna's 16th century Flying Mercury.

About the Author

Greg is a longtime New Jersey resident and has lived in Hillsborough since 1993. He was elected to the Hillsborough Township Board of Education in 2007 and also serves as chair of the Historic Preservation Commission. He has also served on the Hillsborough-Millstone Municipal Allianceand as chair of the Cultural Arts Commission. Greg and his wife, Patty, have also served as co-chairmen of "Central New Jersey Walk Now for Autism", the local chapter of the international research and awareness organization Autism Speaks.
A music major at New York University, Greg spent most of his career in the Entertainment Division of the Six Flags Corporation where he was primarily responsible for writing and producing live educational assembly programs for New Jersey school children. Since 2000, he has been a full-time stay-at-home dad, concentrating on raising his two children, and on community service.
Besides his other activities, Greg writes The View From Hillsborough blog for MyCentralJersey.com, which has also been featured over 175 times in The Courier News.
Greg's other interests include music, reading, photography, history, and genealogy.